Bending by Your Side
by Aipom4
Summary: Katara wants to bw a professional bender but its hard when underground matches are illegal and when theres no one to train you. AU Zutara
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing. This is an AU story so many things are different than the actually tv series. It's been awhile since my last story so no promises that this one should be any good. There's going to be spelling mistakes and I'm not sure if I should continue but till me what you guys think.**

Katara's eyes lit up when the Blue Spirit stepped into the ring. Underground Bending was illegal to watch and any. But Katara always snuck away on an hour yak buffalo ride just to see it. She loved the rush of the crowed, the excitement and skill of the benders. Underground Bending were for benders and non benders who didn't have the money or license to bend in United Nations. Katara never knew why it was called the United Nations, they were anything but united. Fire Lord Ozai still had more control at the held meetings. The heads of Fire Nation, Northern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads all met but the Fire Lord held most power. Bending wasn't used for fighting anymore, just for officers and healing. Pro matches and underground matches were the only place you can view a real fight.

" _And the Blue Spirit has gotten a clean hit on the Blind Bandit, and she looks pissed!"_ The Blind Bandit was a huge contender to win the match. A little girl with messy hair in a bun and hair in her eyes doubling as a mask. Her earth bending was amazing but in Katara's opinion she had nothing on the Blue Spirit. The masked man always moved so elegant and swiftly, never using any bending even if he had or not. Katara was mesmerized by the way he moved. It was his last match so Katara didn't want to miss it, even though she had school early the next morning. So this fight was really hyped and anticipated.

"I wish I could be out there," Katara mumbled. Katara wasn't much of a bender for other than healing. There was no one to teach her and the only other place to learn was the Northern Water Tribe and they refused to teach girls how to bend for fighting.

 _"The Blind Bandit almost knocked the Blue Spirits mask off, this just proves it's anyone's match!"_

"Go Blue!" Katara yelled.

"Everyone don't move!" An earth bending officer bended everyone's feet on the ground.

 _"Oh shit, it's the fuzz!"_ The announcer said. The Blind Bender undid many of the spectators and her opponent's feet as everyone scrambled to escape. More and more officers started to arrest everyone. A metal whip quickly enclosed on Katara's arm when a small knife cut it. Katara looked at the person who helped her and it was the Blue Spirit and she gave him a nod as a thank you and quickly ran out of area and to her yak buffalo, hoping that everyone made it out.

Katara was out of breath when she returned to her igloo. It was cold but she always felt the warmth of home. The Southern Water Tribe has evolved but it was still in poor condition compared to the other nations.

"So where were you?" A voice asked from the dark.

Katara screamed as her grandmother held a lantern. Katara and her Gran-Gran were the only two who lived in their igloo that was built very spaciously. Her father and brother used to live with them but that all changed when her mother died. Her father resorted to drinking, forcing her Gran-Gran to kick him out and Sokka was so mad at her that he studied hard and when he grew up he moved out and out a job in United Nation. He, like their dad, never wrote or visited.

"I was out, feeding the Otter Penguins," Katara lied.

"Really now," Kanna folded her arms. "And that's all you did?"

"Yep." Katara gave a guilty smile.

"Katara I know you are lying to me." Kanna shook her head. "I bet you were at one of those underground matches, it's like you can't stay away from those, but it is in your blood."

Katara's father used to be a Pro Bending champion, and at his matches is where he met Kya, Katara's mother. Her mother was at all his matches cheering him on. She tried trying to protect him from an opponent who didn't take his loss so well so he was about to kill him with a fire blade and their mother quickly jumped into the ring and protected her husband from the attack. That was the first and last time Katara was at a legal probending match and also the last time she saw her mother again.

"I'm sorry Gran Gran," Katara bowed her head being caught in a lie.

"It's ok, you're a good girl but you got to be careful, I don't want you at those matches again." Kanna hugged the girl. "I was so worried when I heard the radio saying they caught a lot of benders and spectators at a match today."

"I'm safe Gran-Gran."

"I'm glad, because you're going to be doing a lot of work around here for lying and disobeying me, now go to sleep." Kanna sighed. "You still have school in the morning."

Katara tossed and turned all night, having nightmares of her mother's death. The fire, the screams. She woke up in cold sweat which was unusual for most in the chilly weather, but Katara frequently suffered through them every night.

"Katara come quick!" Her Gran Gran yelled. She quickly rushed out of her bed to the living room area. There was an older man carrying a young man in his arms, his face was covered and the older man looked at them. "Please help us."

Katara wiped the sweat off her face as she looked at the young man who was carried by an old man who turned out to be his uncle. Even though it was a few hours ago, their conversation was still fresh in her mind.

" _You got to save his face, its badly burned." The man pulled to towel off of the young man, he was about Sokka's age, but half of his face was nearly burned off as he was squirming around._

" _There's not much we can do, but the best healers are in the Northern Water Tribe." Kanna said._

" _They refused us," The man said. "Please save my nephew."_

 _Kanna and Katara glanced at each other, a little worried. Were these men criminals? The Northern Water Tribe hardly turned away anyone unless they did a crime._

" _I'm sorry but there's not much we can do." Kanna looked sadly at the young man._

" _Aren't you a healer, that's what someone said that there was a water bender her." The man said._

" _That's me, but I'm not a professional, I just know the basics, I'm not sure if I can help your nephew at all." Katara said._

" _Please just try, he's in a lot of pain." The man begged._

Katara worked all night on the young man. It was tricky but the only damage to his face was left a scar. It was coved over with a bandage. Some of his hair was burned off but he looked better than how he originally came in. To save his face, Katara had to cut off some of his hair to reach access to the other burned areas.

"Who knew healing classes would actually come in handy."

She rubbed his head and was about to touch his cheek when a hand shot up and stopped her.

"Who are you and where am I?"


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing. I know last chapter was all over the place but it's hard getting back into the swing of things. It's an hour to and from because in the story the four nations are all connected by a four bridges to get to the United Nations, kind of like Republic City. Hopefully everything will come together better.**

It's been four months since Katara's new "house guests" moved in. Lee and Mushi. Iroh was nice enough. He helped out, made great tea and was over all great company. Lee however, took what happened to him hard. He never spoke and just sat in his bedroom in the dark. His hair grew out to a buzz like cut but the scar left on his face was a painful reminder of everything. Katara understood that this was a depressing time for him, or at least that's what her mother use to say. Her mother, though not a bender, was a healer. She used to write a journal with healing herbs and tricks to help patients. But there was nothing in the book about this. Lee wouldn't eat, talk nothing. Katara was trying to be patient with him but she wished he would try to be more corporative. She didn't even know who he really was. Two strangers come flying in on a sky bison no less, one being injured. A lot of questions had come into her head. Who were those men really, how did they get a sky bison and why were they refused in the North. What crime did they do and what secrets were being kept. Was Lee and Mushi even their real names? Right now that didn't matter, they still needed their help. Katara returned home from school every day and tried to talk to him, get him to eat delicious sea prunes but he always ignored her.

"Hi Lee, how are you today?" Katara tried to sound cheerful. She plastered a fake smile on her face carrying a hot bowl of sea prunes. "Feel up to eating today."

Lee just kept his head turned.

"So anything good on the radio?" Katara asked. Still no response.

"Please Lee, say something." Katara begged putting a spoon of sea prunes near his mouth. "In comes the sky bison."

The spoon was smacked out of her hand. "Hey!"

"I don't want that crap." His raspy voice said.

That was the last straw for Katara. "You ungrateful brat! I slaved over a hot stove making these, every day I came home and tried to take care of you, ignoring my friends and responsibilities watching you just sit there and sulk."

"You don't know what happened to me." Lee's was still husky from not using his voice.

"Well you don't know what happened to me and what I'm going through!" Katara yelled. "You sulk around, not talking to anyone nor your poor uncle, you don't do anything, your injury was to your face not your body, you stayed rent free in my dead parents' bedroom and you never even thanked me for anything."

There was silence until Lee spoke. "Your parents are dead."

"My mom is, but with my dad, he might as well be." Katara stormed out of the room running to the downstairs clinic where her mother used to run her practice.

* * *

"That jerk!" Katara screamed, she went to the bed where Lee was treated in and threw everything including the bed off. She was just so upset by his attitude.

She looked around at the mess she made and sighed, she should have taken out her anger in that way. She began to pick up the stuff and the fallen bed when she spotted a brown book. It had the Water Tribe symbol on it and Katara opened the first page.

"Property of Kya." Katara whispered. "Mom."

Finally she found her mom's old healers journal. All the secrets she kept about helping patients were in there. Katara flipped through the pages, there was everything in there. Healing poisonous bites, treating ignored bones. She then stopped on a random one.

" _A patient can't heal not only on the outside but also needs internal healing."_

 _A patient may seem fine on the outside but internally may be just as broken to what happened. A traumatic experience is hard for anyone, even when everything is healed in their mind that experience is still fresh like a cut that a bandage won't help. The key is to be patient with them, put yourself in their shoes whether you know the full story or not. Never be harsh or impatient with them even if they get on your nerves. Go at their pace not at yours. A little patience and kindness can go a long way."_

Katara closed the book as tears welled up in her eyes. She had been doing exactly the opposite of what her mother would have done.

"I wasn't really helping him at all," Katara sighed. "It must be hard for him, whatever happened."

She knew she had to make things right again.

* * *

"Hey Lee." Katara entered his room once more later in the night. "I brought you some soap, no sea prunes in it I promise."

There was still no response but Katara remembered what the book said. Go at their pace not yours. She carefully sat down the bowl at the nightstand and sat on the chair next to the bed.

"I'm sorry about earlier and everything, I wasn't really understanding." Katara sighed. "You went through a lot and I know nothing about what happened nor about you."

"Lee, I know were not friends but I would like to try." Katara said. Since everything was silent Katara was about to leave. "I will be here if you ever need anything Lee."

"Zuko."

Katara quickly turned around. "Huh?"

"My names not Lee, it's Zuko."

"Well Zuko," Katara's smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you."


End file.
